Kit removable adapters for mounting and removing special run-flat tires by using a conventional tire changing machine

ABSTRACT

A kit of removable adapters for converting conventional kinds of tire changing machine into tire changing machines for special run-flat tires comprising: a first separator element for separating the tire and the wheel rim shaped and fixable by way of complementarily shaped profiles and with corresponding devices to the lower end of the conventional corresponding vertical tool with which the tire changing machine is provided; a second bead breaker element provided with an auxiliary shoe for contacting and pushing the beads of a tire and with coupling elements for removable coupling to the conventional bead breaker shoe with which the tire changing machine is equipped; a lever for the localized extraction of the beads of the tires from the respective flanges of the wheel rims, which can be functionally coupled to supporting elements adapted for resting against the wheel rim in order to protect the wheel rim.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a kit of removable adapters forconverting conventional tire changing machines into tire changingmachines for special run-flat tires.

Special tires have long been studied and are currently beingmanufactured and marketed. Their structure allows, in case of punctureor damage, to avoid their complete deflation despite the lack ofinternal pressure, accordingly allowing the vehicle to continue totravel without having to replace the damaged tire and thus eliminatingthe severe consequences of such situations suffered with conventionaltires.

The particular structure of these tires, of the tubeless type, entailsfitting and rigidly coupling, between the bead seat of the wheel rim andthe very tire, a ring of adequate thickness made of an elastomer which,in case of sudden deflation of the tire and consequent reduction of theinflation pressure to zero, continues to bear the weight of the vehicleand allows to continue the regular rolling of the wheel, avoiding anysudden swerving of the vehicle and damages to the tire.

One particularity of these tires is the fact that the inside and outsidediameters are different from each other, the former being larger thanthe latter.

Moreover, the so-called bead has a profile with a particularcross-section and is internally reinforced with an annular steel cablein order to maintain the grip against the edges of the wheel rim.

This in practice makes impossible to use, in order to remove and fit thetires to the wheel rim, the conventional machines that are currentlymanufactured. Accordingly, due to their limited diffusion owing to thefact that such tires have been marketed only recently, these operationsare performed only by hand, by using levers which, during removal, areforcibly inserted between the edge of the wheel rim and the bead of thetire in order to extract it from its seat or to insert it therein duringmounting. Heavy hammers are used with which the beads of the tires arestruck with rough accuracy in order to force them to pass over theflanges of the tire rims so as to achieve their correct placement andthus complete their mounting.

This operating method is very difficult for operators and is slow anddangerous for the integrity of the wheel rims, since the levers that areemployed rest on the edges of the wheel rims in order to be able toapply force in the maneuver for lifting the beads, and the blowsinflicted with the hammers sometimes strike the wheel rim instead of thetire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to solve the above-describedproblems of the prior art by providing a kit of removable adapters forconverting conventional tire changing machines into tire changingmachines for special run-flat tires which allows to work quickly andautomatically, without effort for the operators and with no danger ofdamaging the wheel rims, all this without needing to have a specificallyconceived and manufactured tire changing machine.

This aim, this object and others are achieved by a kit of removableadapters for converting conventional tire changing machines into tirechanging machines for special run-flat tires, characterized in that itcomprises: a first element for guiding the beads of the tire, which canbe interposed between the beads and the wheel rim and is shaped andfixable according to complementarily shaped profiles and withcorresponding means to the lower end of the conventional correspondingvertical tool with which the tire changing machine is provided; a secondbead breaker element provided with an auxiliary shoe for contacting andpushing the beads of a tire and with means for removable coupling to theconventional bead breaker shoe with which the tire changing machine isequipped; a lever for the localized extraction of the beads of the tiresfrom the respective flanges of the wheel rims, which can be functionallycoupled to means for resting against the wheel rim in order to protectthe wheel rim; a base for supporting the wheel rims, which can berigidly coupled to the rotating platform of the tire changing machine inorder to constantly maintain the distance between the platform and theedges of the wheel rim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment of a kit of removableadapters for converting conventional tire changing machines into tirechanging machines for special run-flat tires, illustrated only by way ofnon-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tire of the special run-flat type inthe configuration in which it is removed from the wheel rim;

FIG. 2 is a partial transverse sectional view of a wheel provided withthe special tire;

FIG. 3 is a view of a kit with some of the removable adapters accordingto the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view of another adapter in the working configuration, fittedon the tire removing tool supported at the end of the working arm of aconventional machine;

FIG. 5 is a view of the same adapter as in FIG. 4, in the raisedinactive configuration;

FIG. 6 is another view of the adapter of FIG. 4, taken from the insidelooking outwards and in the active configuration;

FIG. 7 is a view of an adapter applied to the bead breaker shoe of atire changing machine;

FIG. 8 is a view of the same adapter as in FIG. 7 during use;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are schematic sectional views of wheel during the stepsof the maneuver for extracting a bead of a tire from its wheel rim byusing an adapter of the kit;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are perspective views of the same maneuver shown inFIGS. 9 and 10;

FIG. 13 is a detail view of the adapter shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged-scale detail view of a wheel during the step forthe fitting of a bead of a special tire on its wheel rim;

FIG. 15 is a view of a base for supporting a special wheel rim, appliedto the platform of a conventional tire changing machine;

FIG. 16 is a schematic transverse sectional view of a wheel providedwith a special tire and rested on the base shown in FIG. 15.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the above figures, 1 designates a portion of a tirechanging machine of the conventional type.

The machine 1 can be converted, when necessary, to a machine which canbe employed also to remove special tires 2 of the run-flat type fromtheir wheel rim 3, applying the series of adapters that compose the kitaccording to the invention to the conventional tools with which themachine is equipped for working on normal tires.

This kit essentially comprises: a first element 4 for guiding the beadsof a tire 2, which can be wedged between the beads and the edges 3 a ofa wheel rim 3; a second bead breaker element 5, provided with anauxiliary shoe 6; an extractor lever 7 which can be coupled to means 8for resting on the wheel rim 3 in order to protect the integritythereof; a base 9 for resting the wheel rims 3.

The guiding element 4 is shaped so as to have, on an upper face, aconcave profile, in particular a seat 4 a, which can be mated preciselywith a protruding part of the extractor tool 10 a normally provided atthe lower end of the working arm 10 with which the tire changing machine1 is provided.

The second bead breaker element 5, provided with the auxiliary shoe 6for contacting and pushing the beads 2 a of a tire 2, is also providedwith means 11 for coupling, so as to allow removal after use, to theconventional bead extractor shoe 12 with which the tire changing machine1 is provided.

The first guiding element 4 is constituted by a prism-shaped body whichforms the hollow seat 4 a on an upper face and forms, on the outer face,a longitudinal recess 4 b which is substantially horizontal and has aninitial guiding portion 4 c, to allow the sliding contact of acorresponding raised portion of a bead 2 a of a tire 2 which is turnedon the working platform of the machine 1, and a median end portion 4 dfor the exit of the inclined bead towards the wheel rim 3 or, moreprecisely, towards the edge 3 a thereof.

In an upward region, the body 4 further forms a tab 13 in which there isa hollow seat 13 a, whereas in the lower region thereof there is apositioning claw 13 b which protrudes therefrom.

The prism-shaped body 4 can be fixed to the corresponding vertical tool10 a with which the tire changing machine 1 is equipped by means of atleast one threaded grub screw 14 (or of an equivalent screw means),which can be screwed transversely in a corresponding block 15 forretaining the vertical tool 10 a until it makes contact with the outersurface thereof.

The second bead breaker element 5 has, on the active edge of theauxiliary shoe 6 on the front side for contact with the beads 2 a, anenlarged edge 6 a which has a rounded profile which is adapted toprotect the beads during contact; the means 11 for detachable couplingto the conventional bead breaker shoe 12 are further constituted by abar 16, whose ends 16 a are folded so as to longitudinally wrap aroundthe bead breaker shoe 12 with which the tire changing machine 1 isequipped; a first one of these ends is rigidly coupled to the outer faceof the auxiliary shoe 6 and the second one is provided with screw means17 for clamping to the conventional shoe 12.

The means 8 for resting on the wheel rim 3 are constituted by straightbars 18 which have, at one end, two teeth 19 which protrudesubstantially at right angles and are adapted to be inserted between thebead 2 a and the wheel rim 3 and between which there is a slot 20 forthe passage and resting, during operation, of the extractor lever 7,which is advantageously provided, at the working end, with a hook 7 awhich is adapted to wedge under the bead 2 a.

Finally, the base 9 for supporting the wheel rims 3 is provided, in adownward region, with coupling means constituted by a perimetric edge 9a for coupling to the conventional wheel clamping elements (claws 1 b)with which the rotating platform 1 c of a tire changing machine 1 isprovided; moreover, the base has, in an upward region, a series ofradial arms 9 b which are longer than the maximum radius of the wheelrims 3; antislip and wheel rim protection coatings 9 c are applied tothe upper surface of the arms.

Use of the invention, which has also been implicitly hinted in the abovedescription, is as follows: when an operator must perform removal andsubsequent refitting of a tire of the special run-flat type with respectto the corresponding wheel rim, he applies to the tool 10 a and to theshoe 12 the guiding element 4 and the auxiliary shoe 6 respectively; hefurther places is the base 9 on the platform 1 c of the tire changingmachine 1, clamping its perimetric edge with the claws 1 b.

The element 4 is applied to the tool 10 a, inserting it precisely in theprovided contoured seat 4 a and fastening it in position with thethreaded grub screw 14.

The auxiliary shoe 6 also is rigidly coupled to the shoe 12 by fittingthereon the bar 16 and the folded ends thereof, which wrap around it,and by tightening the screw means 17.

Therefore, in order to remove the special tire, the operator places thetire, which is of course deflated, against the side of the tire changingmachine 1 where the shoe 12 is active, so that the smaller diameterfaces outwards.

The shoe 12, and therefore the auxiliary shoe 6, are actuated so as topress against the bead 2 a of the tire 2 in a conventional manner; theenlarged edge 6 a is first moved into contact with the bead and then thethrusting force is increased so that the bead 2 a is pushed towards theinternal channel 3 b of the wheel rim 3.

The operator then inserts in the gap thus formed the teeth 19 of one ofthe straight bars 18, and after gripping the extractor lever 7 he wedgesthe hook-shaped end 7 a thereof into the slot 20, pushing it until itreaches the lower inner edge of the bead 2 a (see FIGS. 9 to 12).

By then operating the lever 7, the operator extracts a first portion ofthe bead 2 a from the edge 3 a of the wheel rim 3.

The operation is repeated in multiple points of the tire until the bead2 a having the smaller diameter is fully detached from the edge 3 a.

The operator then turns the wheel over so that its larger diameter facesthe machine 1 and places the wheel in contact with the side of themachine.

The operator then repeats the preceding operation of pressing with theauxiliary shoe 6 also for the bead 2 a having the larger diameter and inmultiple points thereof, pushing it towards the internal channel 3 b ofthe wheel rim 3; this simultaneously causes the full extraction of thering 2 b is from its seat and from the wheel rim 3 through its smallerdiameter; the bead 2 a having the larger diameter also follows the ring,and the tire 2 is thus fully removed from the wheel rim 3 through thesmaller-diameter part thereof.

For the refitting operation, the operator prepares the tire 2 by placingthe ring 2 b inside it; then he fits both onto the wheel rim 3,inserting them from the smaller-diameter side thereof.

In order to correctly position the ring 2 b in the channel 3 b, he reststhe wheel again on the side of the machine 1 where the shoe 12 operatestogether with the auxiliary shoe 6, so that the smaller diameter isdirected outwards; he then actuates the shoe 6 so as to push the ring 2b into the correct position and simultaneously create the necessaryspace between the ring and the edge 3 a of the wheel rim 3 for thesubsequent arrangement of the corresponding bead 2 a.

Once the insertion of the ring 2 b has been completed, the operatorplaces the wheel rim 3 on the base 9, clamping thereon a conventionalself-centering clamp 21 of the screw type so that the smaller diameteris directed upwards; he then places a portion of the smaller-diameterbead 2 a that is directed upwards in the longitudinal recess 4 b of theguiding element 4, which is moved so that its lower face is in contactwith the outer part of the edge 3 a.

The operator then turns the platform 1 c and the bead 2 a follows,sliding inside it, the profile of the recess 4 b, from the initialguiding portion 4 c to the exit portion 4 d which conveys it to theinside of the edge 3 a of the wheel 3.

When the entire smaller-diameter bead 2 a is finally stablyaccommodated, the operator removes the wheel from the base 9 and turnsit over so that its larger diameter faces upwards.

The operator then extracts the larger bead 2 a from the channel 3 b ofthe wheel rim 3 in which it had been fitted: he grips the extractorlever 7 and inserts its hook-shaped end 7 a between the bead 2 a and theedge 3 a of the wheel rim; he then rests the lever 7 in the hollow seat13 a of the tab 13, and using it as a fulcrum he raises a small portionof the bead beyond the edge 3 a.

By then turning the platform 1 c, he repeats the operation for multiplepoints of the bead 2 a until it fully passes over the edge 3 a of thewheel rim 3 and is extracted upwards from it.

In order to insert it again in the correct configuration, the operatorplaces, by acting on the arm 10, the guiding element 4 so that its lowerface rests practically in contact with the outer face of the edge 3 a ofthe wheel rim 3 and so that the positioning claw 13 b accordinglystraddles the edge; he then inserts the bead in the recess 4 b and turnsthe platform 1 c.

The combined action of the rotation, of the conveyance of the exitportion 4 d of the recess 4 b and of the positioning claw 13 b graduallymake the bead 2 a slide, as shown in detail in FIG. 14, from the recess4 b into its seat for correct placement inside the channel 3 a of thewheel rim 3, thus completing the mounting of the tire 2.

Once the intervention has been completed, by removing the guidingelement 4, the auxiliary shoe 6 and the base 9 from the tire changingmachine 1 the machine is converted back to a conventional machine.

In practice it has been observed that the above-described inventionachieves the intended aim.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modificationsand variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventiveconcept.

All the details may further be replaced with other technicallyequivalent elements.

In practice, the materials employed, as well as the shapes and thedimensions, may be any according to requirements without therebyabandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A kit of removable adapters for mounting on andremoving from a wheel a special run-flat tire by using a conventionaltire changing machine provided with conventional vertical tool having alower end provided with an extractor tool, bead breaker shoe, wheelfastening elements, and rotating platform, the kit comprising: a firstseparator element for separating the tire from the wheel rims, saidseparator element being shaped for mating engagement with said extractortool of the tire changing machine and fixing means for fixing theseparator element to said vertical tool; a second bead breaker element,provided with an auxiliary shoe for contacting and pushing a tire bead,and with coupling means for removable coupling to said conventional beadbreaker shoe of the tire changing machine; a lever for localizedextraction of the tire bead from respective flanges of the wheel rims;and rim resting means for resting against and protecting the wheel rims,said rim resting means being functionally coupleable, in use, to saidlever.
 2. The kit of claim 1, further comprising a wheel rim supportingbase provided with coupling means for coupling to the conventional wheelfastening elements with which the rotating platform of a tire changingmachine is provided.
 3. The kit of claim 1, wherein said first separatorelement is constituted by a body being shaped so as to provide, on aninner-upper face thereof, a hollow seat, said hollow seat being adaptedto accommodate a protruding part of said extractor tool and to preciselymate and interlock therewith, said body having further, on an oppositeouter face, a horizontal longitudinal recess with an initial guidingportion for allowing sliding of a raised portion of the tire bead whichis turned on the rotating platform, and a median end portion for causingexit of said bead towards an edge of the wheel rim.
 4. The kit of claim3, wherein said fixing means are constituted by at lease one grub screwand a block, said at least one grub screw being transversely screwableinto said block for retaining said body on said vertical tool by contactat an outer surface of the vertical tool.
 5. The kit of claim 1, whereinsaid second bead breaker element has, at an active edge of the auxiliaryshoe for contact with the bead of the tire, an expanded edge which has arounded profile.
 6. The kit of claim 5, wherein said coupling means forremovable coupling to said conventional bead breaker shoe areconstituted by: a bar having first and second ends folded so as tolongitudinally wrap around the conventional bead breaker shoe of thetire changing machine, with a first end being rigidly coupled to saidauxiliary shoe; and screw means provided at the second end of the barfor clamping to said conventional bead breaker shoe.
 7. The kit of claim1, wherein said rim resting means are constituted by at least onestraight bar provided, at one end, with two teeth separated by a slot,said teeth protruding substantially at right angles from said straightbar and being insertable between the bead and the wheel rim, and whereinsaid lever for localized extraction includes an extractor lever which isprovided, at one active end, with a hook for wedging under said bead,said extractor lever being arranged, in use, resting in said slot.